“Hah! I knew you suit those fetters better, you filthy witch!” Scorned by the ladies at Celeste who was crouching in the corner of the small cell where the imperial knights had placed her while waiting for her execution.

She was in a terrible state, her body was bruised from the torture of the mages who were extracting her mana—her magical energy, from the abusive guards and some people who visited her just to throw rocks and sticks at her. She was quivering from the coldness of the night and her torn clothes were of no help. How many days has it been since she was locked up in this hellhole? She lost track of time already.

Those ladies that were giving her animosity were the ones who claimed to be her friends before. It wasn’t a surprise. Long before she knew that those women were being two-faced, pretending to be good and amicable. But they lashed out their ill intentions whenever she wasn’t around, especially to her well-off suitors that these girls were interested in.

“Celeste, look at yourself now... this is where you belong, you immoral,” added another.

“I always hated you. You think you’re so pretty that you could hoard all the boys in town? You’re just a lowly witch! You seduced and played with them using the devil's magic. You deserved to die!” And another... the insults went on and on.

However, far from what reaction they want to see from her, Celeste never even bothered to throw a glance at them. She kept her contused lips shut. More than that, the pain inflicted on her body was making her lose consciousness. Her eyes barely opened, just wanting to catch a bit of light.

Present

Celeste decided to take a rest beside a small stream. She’d been walking for days already after her abrupt decision of leaving the village that very same night to avoid her death flag. She had a place in mind where she could live safely and away from the Arkaean empire which had been exterminating witches for a decade. She was fortunate enough that the village had kept her secret till now, but nothing lasts forever, for, in her previous life, she eventually died from their betrayal.

In her command, the wood faeries brought her water to drink from the stream nearby. They giggled as she thanked the tiny creatures. Some even tried to massage her shoulders and legs with their tiny hands which made her laugh and rewarded them with sweet cherries, their favorite, which she popped out of thin air using her magic.

After some time, her smile faded as she thought of Mr. Hannes and Ruel. “I hope they're doing fine.”

Celeste had only left them a note of her sudden departure. It was for the best. If she had stayed in the village... surely the few good people who cared for her would be hurt again. She could only whisper prayers for their safety and prosperity in life.

She planned to escape death a year from now. Settling on the Eastern Vahan territory, where the coven of White witches was located—her forsook home and haven, was her destination. It should be safe for her to live there even if it was in ruins.

There should be at least a few of her kin remaining there. Had it been centuries old now since she last saw her sisters and held festivities with them? She was still a fledgling witch then who knew nothing of the world but was granted a power that she didn’t dare deserve.

She missed them terribly. But she knew those old days were gone and only their tale had lived and been passed down like myths and folklore of the ancient. 'Humans do easily forget their history.'

Distracted by her musing, the Forest witch didn’t notice the nearing footsteps. Celeste was startled when she heard teensy gasps behind her and saw two small kids trembling at the sight of her.

“Brother! It’s a forest nymph!” The smaller kid shouted and clutched the older one on his back.

“Shhh! Don’t s-shout Top... Nymphs eat children,” the sibling whispered. He immediately bowed his head and began apologizing. “Please spare my little brother’s life, ma’am. Please, I could give you both my arms!”

She winced at the misunderstanding. 'Nymphs' were magical creatures that appeared as beautiful women and enticed their prey with their beauty before killing it. And children were their favorite dish on their menu. She could imagine how terrified these kids would be. Anyway, what were they doing alone in this dangerous forest? They could be eaten by large animals. Judging by their appearances, these kids looked like they ran away... they didn’t even have slippers on. Their small feet were covered in dirt and grass cuts.

She gave an amiable smile so they would know she was not a threat. “It’s alright. I’m not a nymph. I’m just a traveler.”

“I don’t believe you! H-How can a pretty lady journey alone in this huge forest without an escort?” Came the loud reply from that tiny kid again and quickly hid behind his brother.

Celeste chuckled at this feisty little human. “Because I could. Then how come you two are out here? If it’s dangerous for a lady and an adult at that, wouldn't it be even scarier for a little kid like you?” She pointed at them.

She noticed the older one pressed both his lips, suppressing the lashing words that could offend a stranger like her. She tilted her head to guess what it was.

“Ma’am we just want to continue on our way. Please forgive our rudeness.” The child’s words had a brooding effect on her. Their demeanor had piqued her interest but she was stopping herself from being nosy.

She should cut her fondness for humans if she wanted to carry out her plans successfully and live peacefully for the next years of her life. Well, white witches had a longer lifespan than average humans. They could live as old as five hundred years old maintaining their youthful look, thanks to the elemental energy flowing in their veins. Unlike human mages whose power came from the magical artifacts scattered throughout the land, and countless experiments which always result in jeopardy and political exploitation. 

Well, some people took even greater sacrifices by selling their souls to demons. Even white witches were not exempted. They were called 'Black witches', the users of dark arts of magic. Those were the ones who were spreading fear and malicious acts toward the people. Her kind had always been in dispute with them. However, in the empire's eyes, all witches were the same and needed to be exterminated.

She hurled her thoughts away before they got to the depressing part of the past.

“Did you two run away?” She mischievously grinned at them and she could see how their hair stood up from end to end in surprise. 

Ah, busted.

“W-We didn’t run away. We just want to live,” came the trembling voice of the oldest kid. He hugged his little brother as they took one step back. “Please m-ma’am, can you let us go?”

Alright, she backed down and withdraw from teasing the kids. She made them uncomfortable now but she was quite concerned about their situation. They looked like they had been through something awful.

“I’m sorry for making it unpleasant. Well, may I know where you guys are headed to? It’s quite dangerous in this part of the forest.”

“We...” the boy shied away and coughed a few times. “W-We know which way already. And I’m a big boy. I can protect myself and my brother.”

“Hmmm...” She stared at them for a moment before smiling at them. “Alright. Well then, have a safe trip!” Her eyes curved amusingly as the little boys reluctantly walked into the dense forest. “Oh, dear! I forgot to tell you, there were goblins in that direction. I almost got caught if I wasn’t lucky enough to escape.” She acted in distress and slightly peek with one eye at the children.

The two paused and slowly turned their heads at her. She just smiled sweetly with one sweat on her forehead. She felt guilty when she saw them so terror-struck.

"W-We know there are no monsters in this part of the f-forest!" Uttered by the big brother, more like convincing themselves of that statement.

“G-Goblins...” The younger one squeaked. “Brother Lan, should we ask for big sister’s h-help?” He pulled his elder brother’s shirt. The boy clenched both his fists before grasping the tiny hand clinging to his cloth.

 ‘Maybe it was too much,’ She thought.

“I... How can we trust you? Your behavior is suspicious enough for us to not trust you,” said the boy named Lan.

“You’re right. You shouldn’t trust adults, especially in the middle of nowhere.” She lowered her body so she could face them at the same level and be more of a trustworthy adult.

“Yeah, we know.” The kids gave her a dubious look. They hit the nail on the head and she was feeling even more sheepish.

“Yes, ahm... good. That’s good. You kiddos are pretty smart. But I am not a bad person. You can trust me.” She made a thumbs-up sign.

The boys were just eyeing her. “That’s what bad people usually say though.”

Celeste choked on her own saliva. Her cheeks were puffing in red colors as she tried to find some words to counter it. How embarrassing it was for her as an adult, not to mention her age as a witch, she was basically a grandma to these kids, yet she was losing the conversation. These cheeky brats!

Lan chuckled at her reaction. It seemed they were beginning to ease a bit around her.

She cleared her throat. “Well, I may be a little suspicious but I promise that I am not scheming anything bad.” She was startled when his little brother suddenly jumped in front of her. His face was glowing in curiosity.

“Hey... hey, big sister! Did you really see the goblins?! What are they like? Is it true they eat children like us? How did you escape?”

She was bombarded with nonstop questions but she just patted his head to calm him down yet the little one got carried away and squeezed her. His older brother started panicking and tried to get him off but the latter clung to her like a giant snail.

“Big swister is so pwetty!” She could hear the muffled sounds of the cheeky little brat.

“That’s alright. Well, I want to know your names. And may I know why are you wandering around the forest?”

“My name’s Lan and this is my little brother, Top.” He was quite hesitant to tell her more but the boy started to sob which got her worried. Top, his little brother ran to him and consoled the crying brother. “W-We were taken away from our h-home. We managed to escape but—but the others w-were caught along the way. I wanted to ask for h-help but we... we don’t know which way or whom to trust.” A few hiccups before Lan continued, “Please... p-please ma’am, save the other children too!”

Celeste was shocked to hear the ordeals they went through. Her expression darkened as she asked them if they knew who was behind it. "Do you know the person who did this to you and your little brother?"

“I—I just heard it when we came to the mansion, the people called him Baron Iver,” Lan answered in a faltering voice.

 Baron Iver...

Such an awfully familiar name. Did she meet this Baron in her previous life? Just as she tried to recollect the past... as if on cue, a flash of memory came to her.

“If I knew that you were this beautiful, I wouldn’t have agreed to the other aristocrats. You can be my slave in bed and live as my b*tch. I could give you that much pleasure instead of this grot prison. Hmmm...” The man gave Celeste a leering grin; eyes full of darkened lust.

Her whole body twitched in detestation as she spat on him through the bars of the cell. He instantly threw a fit and ordered his men to beat her. Had it not for the man in black uniform’s intervention, she would’ve died right there and then before her verdict. Her clothes were all torn and she was almost naked when they found her. Before she lost consciousness, she saw a very tall man enter the dungeon. He looked like a reaper or maybe he was there to fetch her on her deathbed.

Celeste lifted her thin arms, trying to reach that man who had a golden flicker in his eyes. "Death, how I longed for you..." she breathed croakily in desperation, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. 

“Who did this?” His thundering male voice filled the whole room. The black cape and the golden lion insignia in his royal uniform were enough to put people into silence and his mere presence made them all tremble.

“It was Baron Iver, your highness. If I haven’t arrived on time, the witch would’ve died,” the man who intervened earlier to stop the beating responded to him. “These aristocrats are getting full of themselves. We should tell His Majesty the emperor about this and put a chain on their necks.”

“I’ll rend their necks!”

“Ahem, my Lord, that’s not what I meant...”

 The two continued to bicker for a few moments while Celeste was slowly closing her bruised eyes succumbing to the torment in her body.

“Shut it!”

“Yes! Your Highness, you’re so great!”

The conversation ended between the two when the guards brought the man named Baron Iver who was responsible for her grave condition. The baron's face was gloomy and in a cold sweat as he looked at the tall man in front of him.

"I greet his highness, the A-Archduke of Levonne! I have no idea you're going to visit today, my Lord. I w-was only teaching that prisoner a lesson..." He fell on his knees.

She witnessed how he begged stupidly at the tall man in pure black cloth.

"My Lord, you can't do this to me. I'm a noble! I-I'm on your side!"

And just right after Celeste finally gave in to the soaring pain, a loud shriek was heard inside the dungeon and a pungent smell of blood soon followed. The Baron's head rolled over the filthy floor.

With gritted teeth, Celeste vividly remembered it! Oh, how could she forget that Baron... that disgusting son of a b*tch!